How to Write A Personal Development Plan

“Would you tell me, please, which way I ought to go from here?” “That depends a good deal on where you want to get to,” said the Cat. “I don’t much care where –” said Alice. “Then it doesn’t matter which way you go.”

Do you know where you’re going? Where do you see yourself in a year, five years – and perhaps ten years down the road?

In the years where I have planned out what I wanted to accomplish, I invariably achieved what I set out to do – and it has consistently been more than in the years when I didn’t plan.

So from my personal experience, it’s true – if you don’t know where you want to get to, it doesn’t matter which way you go.

Do you have hopes and dreams you’re chasing?

If you do, but aren’t sure which way to go – perhaps a personal development plan will help you figure that out, and help you get there.

Why Write A Personal Development Plan?

“He who fails to plan is planning to fail.” – Winston Churchill

You may have previously read this discussion on writing down your goals: research shows it increases your chance of success.

Three big reasons I like having a personal development plan include:

Clarity. Knowing what I am trying to accomplish

Define The Why. Having a personal development plan shows me why I’m doing what I’m doing – even on days I don’t feel like it

What Is In A Personal Development Plan?

Answer: Write down what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to get there.

It’s easier to see with concrete examples – so let’s break it down

Personal Development Plan Example Sections

Your Life Purpose. What were you born to do? What is the meaning of your life?

Your Dreams. Those far reaching thoughts and hopes that inspire you to action.

Short, Medium and Long Term Goals. I like to have at least some goals I can accomplish in the span of a few months along with multi-year goals. This lets me see that I have measurable progress towards my goals.

Your Beliefs and Values. What do you stand for? And perhaps, what do you wish your actions showed you stand for?

Success and Milestones. As you accomplish goals and dreams, celebrate your successes.

Personal Development Planning Tools

In addition to the information above, consider other tools to help you with your personal development

Events. Especially for career and education goals, are there seminars you can attend? Conferences? Meetups where people similar to you gather?

Classes/Books/Educational material. Sometimes the first step is finding the resources we need. You may want to start by checking out some of my personal development product reviews.

Mentors and Supporters. Who can you reach out to that can help you with your goals? For many of my personal goals, I’ve formed individual mastermind groups towards a specific purpose. If you’d like me to mentor you – you can contact me for coaching, or receive free training below.

You don’t have to go it alone. If you like what you’ve seen so far, and want to make the most out of your life, take a moment to read the details about my course The Action Solution and see if it’s something you’d be interested in. It is the result of decades of experience, and hundreds of hours of working with real people – just like you.

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